Amiens Cathedral

The 13th century Notre Dame Cathedral of Amiens is widely praised for its size
and sculptures - and its unified Gothic style.

Amiens Cathedral
tips and insights

Sizable

It is the tallest of France's grand Nortre Dame cathedrals. The interior ceiling is
as high as a modern 14-story building.

Stone sculptures

The Biblical story is prolifically illustrated with stone sculptures on the
building's facade and interior spaces, from the Creation to the Last Judgment.

Bell towers

The two bell towers have different heights and somewhat dissimilar designs.

Floor tiles

The main-aisle floor tiles are arranged in a number of large, striking geometric
patterns. One has a (non-Nazi) swastika motif. Another is a maze representing the path of a
pilgrim.

Saint's head

The Amiens Cathedral houses what worshippers believe is the head of St. John the
Baptist.

Construction

In 1218, lightning burned down the Romanesque cathedral that previously stood on
the spot. Just two years later, work began on the replacement, the Gothic
cathedral we see today. Most of its main components were up in a half-century,
which is unusually fast for the Middle Ages.